Memory device with interconnected polysilicon layers and method for making

ABSTRACT

A memory device, based upon a field effect transistor having a floating gate is constructed for use in a silicon integrated circuit array of similar memory devices. The memory device includes only two polysilicon layers, a portion of each polysilicon layer being connected to each other through a via hole in an intervening silicon dioxide layer to form the floating gate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to non-volatile semiconductor memory deviceshaving a floating gate that is capable of being electrically charged andelectrically discharged, and more particularly, to such a memory devicehaving a multilayer system of conductors comprised of two polysiliconlayers, portions of which are connected to each other, and at least onemetal layer.

An array of such memory devices is sometimes known as an EEPROM or an E²PROM (electrically erasable programable read only memory). The memorydevice is based on an insulated gate field effect transistor (IGFET)having a floating gate and a control gate. The control gate is typicallypositioned over and spaced from the floating gate and may have the dualfunctions of "conditioning" the transistor for "reading" by connectionto signals from the "word select" line and at other times conditioningthe transistor for being erased, responding to other "word select" linesignals.

An especially effective device feature for charging the floating gate(writing) includes a textured "charging" electrode having a capacitiverelationship with an extended portion of the floating gate. The surfaceof the charging electrode facing the floating gate is rough or textured.When a large negative voltage (e.g., 20 volts) is applied to thecharging electrode relative to the adjacent floating gate, the latteracquires electrons by tunneling from the textured-surface of thecharging electrode. The floating-gate under-surface is usually smooth.The textured and smooth surfaces advantageously provide unidirectionalelectron emission from the textured charging electrode to the floatinggate. It is thought that this is attributable to Fowler-Nordheimtunneling at high field points at peaks in the textured surface.

In a similar manner, for discharging the floating gate and erasing thememory, the adjacent surfaces of the floating gate and the control gateare, respectively, textured and smooth so that for a large negativevoltage (e.g., 20 volts) applied to the floating gate relative to thecontrol gate, electrons are conducted away from the control gate bytunneling.

A detailed portion of the prior art memory device structure that is usedto implement these programing and erasing functions is illustrated inFIG. 1. On the top surface of semiconductor silicon substrate 10 aninsulative layer of silicon dioxide 11 is grown. A first polysiliconlayer 12 is deposited in a lower plane 17 over the oxide layer 11 andthe top surface is textured by process steps described later herein.Another silicon dioxide layer 13a is grown over the textured top surfaceof the first polysilicon layer and at the same time more oxide 13b isgrown over the uncovered surface of the substrate 10.

A second polysilicon layer 14 is deposited partly in lower plane 17 andpartly in an upper plane 18 above the first polysilicon layer 12. Itstop surface is then textured. A silicon dioxide layer 15 is grown overthe top textured surface of the second polysilicon layer 14.

A third polysilicon layer 16 is deposited in upper plane 18 over aportion of the second polysilicon layer 14.

The second polysilicon layer 14 serves as the floating gate, its lower(right hand portion as shown) being spaced from the channel region (notdelineated in FIG. 1) by silicon dioxide layer 13b. The firstpolysilicon layer 12 is the afore-mentioned charging electrode fromwhich the floating gate 14 received charge at programing. The thirdpolysilicon layer 16 is the afore-mentioned control gate by which, amongother functions, stored charge on the floating gate is removed.

Although such prior art devices exhibit many excellent performancecharacteristics, especially for use in an array, the inevitable stackingand crossing over of the three polysilicon layers and associatedinsulation layers produces sharp changes in the surface. Since at leastone additional conductor, namely a low resistance metal "bit line", isneeded, that bit line must be deposited over the irregular surfaceformed by the three polysilicon layers. Regions of incomplete conductordeposition occur at the sharp changes in the surface leading to opens orpotential opens which at least degrade the reliability of the array.

It is an object of this invention to provide a non-volatile memorydevice retaining the advantages and overcoming the shortcomings of theabove-mentioned prior art devices.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a memory devicerequiring only one polysilicon layer having a textured surface.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide such a devicewherein the silicon dioxide layer through which tunneling is effected tocharge the floating gate is the same layer through which it may bedischarged.

It is even a further object of this invention to reduce the number ofconductor layers needed for forming an array of such memory devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A semiconductor memory device of the kind having a floating gateincludes a semiconducting substrate, first and second co-levelconductive polysilicon patches lying adjacent to and spaced from a faceof the substrate. The inner and outer surfaces of the first and secondpatches being smooth and textured, respectively. A contiguous unfurledinsulative layer is formed over the patches' outer textured surfaces. Athird and fourth conductive co-level polysilicon patches are formed onthe contiguous unfurled insulative layer, the third patch overlying thefirst and extending over and electrically contacting part of the secondpatch through a via hole provided therefor through the contiguousunfurled insulative layer. The term "unfurled" insulative layer means alayer that does not overlap itself. Furled insulative layers can only bemade by two or more formation steps whereas the unfurled insulativelayer of this invention is preferably made by one for economy. Thethus-contacting second and third polysilicon patches serve as thefloating gate. The first and fourth polysilicon patches may serve as thecharging (programing) electrode and as the read/discharge (word/erase)control gate, respectively.

The term "co-level" is used here with reference to polysilicon patchesthat were co-deposited and conform to the surface on which deposited andthat would literally be co-planar if the underlying surface on whichthey were deposited were planar. Co-level polysilicon patches are, ofcourse, always unfurled and cannot overlap each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows in cross-sectional view a detail of a prior artnon-volatile semiconductor memory device.

FIG. 2 shows in cross-sectional view a detail of a non-volatilesemiconductor memory device of this invention.

FIG. 3 shows schematically a memory device of this invention with theassociated connecting conductors (X and Y lines) that are required forits connection in an integrated circuit memory array.

FIG. 4 shows in a top view a preferred embodiment of a memory device ofthis invention

FIG. 5 shows in cross-sectional view taken in plane 5--5, the memorydevice of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows in cross-sectional view taken in plane 6--6, the memorydevice of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The term "plane" as used hereinabove in connection with FIG. 1, refersmore broadly to a level, albeit possibly undulating, at which a layer ofpolysilicon is deposited. Since that level may vary upward and downwardas a result of variations in the underlying silicon dioxide thickness,to crossovers of underlying polysilicon lines, etc., the term "co-levelpolysilicon patches" will be used herein to describe polysilicon patchesthat were simultaneously deposited. Such layers are readily identified,in a cross section of a memory device, by exhibiting identicalthicknesses and dopant profiles. Furthermore, they cannot possibly beoverlapped.

Referring to FIG. 2, a semiconductor silicon substrate 20 has grown on asurface thereof by thermal oxidation a high quality silicon dioxidelayer 21. A first polysilicon layer 22 is deposited in plane 27 by astandard chemical vapor deposition step on the silicon dioxide layer 21.The co-level polysilicon patches 22a and 22b of that first polysiliconlayer 22 are subsequently defined by standard photolithographic maskingand etching steps.

The top or outer surface of the first polysilicon layer 22 is textured.This was accomplished by oxidation in dry oxygen of the outerpolysilicon surface at a temperature of about 1000° C. These polysiliconoxidation conditions are normally avoided in making multi-levelconductors for other devices to avoid the ensuing degradation indielectric properties including breakdown voltage.

The outer (upper as shown) surface of the silicon dioxide layer 21 onwhich polysilicon layer 22 is deposited is relatively smooth and,therefore, the inner (lower) surface of the polysilicon layer 22 issmooth compared with the textured outer surface.

A high quality film of silicon dioxide 23 of about 1000 angstromsthickness is grown by thermal oxidation over the textured surfaces ofthe first and second polysilicon patches 22a and 22b. A hole is made inthe silicon dioxide layer 23 at region 24 of the textured surface ofpolysilicon patch 22b.

A second polysilicon layer 25 is deposited over the first polysiliconlayer 22 which is also separated into two co-level polysilicon patches25a and 25b by standard photolithographic masking and etching steps.Polysilicon patch 25a contacts the surface of the lower patch 22b atregion 24 forming a continuously conducting stratum having portion 25aat an upper plane 26 and 22b at a lower plane 27.

At first glance, the detail of a memory cell of this invention asdepicted in FIG. 2 is quite similar to that of the prior art that isdepicted in FIG. 1, and the advantages of one over the other may not bereadily apparent. For example, although only the initial polysiliconlayer 22 in FIG. 2 is textured while both the initial and subsequentpolysilicon layers 12 and 14 in FIG. 1 must be textured in separatesteps. But steps for making the via hole in oxide layer 23 are neededfor the structure of FIG. 2 and no via holes are required in the priorart structure of FIG. 1.

However, several other and important advantages realized by the newstructure of this invention lead to lower manufacturing costs, greatercontrol of performance parameters and higher quality.

Only two polysilicon layers 22 and 25 are deposited by the relativelytime consuming and costly CVD process in the new structure of FIG. 2whereas three polysilicon layers 12, 14 and 16 are required by the priorart. Also, the reduction in process steps leads to a more reliableproduct.

An especially notable improvement stems from the fact that the oxidationstep by which the textured surface of the "charging" electrode iscovered is the same oxidation step by which the textured surface of thefloating gate is covered. Combining this with the additional fact thatthe step for texturing the "charging" electrode 22a is the sametexturing step by which the floating gate (25a/22b) is textured, it canbe appreciated that those two key steps determine the voltage at whichtunneling will occur both from the charging electrode 22a to thefloating gate portion 25a and from the floating gate portion 22b to thecontrol gate 25b. Thus, optimum programing and erase voltages are alwaysequal to each other, from cell to cell in the same array and from oneintegrated circuit chip to another.

In memory arrays employing memory devices of the floating gate type itis usual to employ a metal film strip conductor as a sense or "bit" lineconnecting the memory devices in each row of the array. Bit lines arenot shown in either FIGS. 1 or 2. Such a metal bit line would bedeposited over earlier formed polysilicon conductors by a lowtemperature process; i.e., aluminum sputtering process. The relativelyhigh temperature (preferably from 700° C. to 900° C. of the chemicalvapor deposition process used for depositing the polysilicon layers mustbe acccomplished first. The low melting (660° C.) aluminum cannot be putdown prior to depositing the polysilicon layers because it would meltand run away during polysilicon deposition. Furthermore, it isconvenient and economical to oxidize polysilicon layers to obtain aninsulating layer between the polysilicon and metal layers. Aluminumoxide is a poor insulator.

Metal lines, however, are not very tolerant of bumpy or non-planarsupporting substrates. Memory arrays of the prior art, employing threelayers of polysilicon, present to the subsequently applied metal moresevere surface irregularities than do memory arrays including only thetwo polysilicon conductors of the present invention.

Referring to the schematic of FIG. 3, the silicon substrate 20 isrepresented by a line 20 having the floating gate 25a/22b adjacent butspaced away from it and having the control gate 25b overlying thefloating gate 25a/22b. The capacitances 31, 32 and 33 that areassociated with the floating gate 25a/22b are, respectively, thedoped-substrate source line 35, the charging electrode 22a, and thepolysilicon control gate 25b. The metal programing line 37 and bit line39 are oriented in the X direction, and the N-doped andPN-junction-isolated source line 41 located in the substrate 20, as wellas the polysilicon word line 43, are in the Y direction.

In FIG. 4 the above-substrate layout of the memory cell conductors isshown, and the sectional views of this cell depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6show portions of all of the array conductors 35, 37, 39 and 43. Thesource 46 and drain 48 of the memory transistor are seen in FIG. 5.

In order to enhance the conductivity of the polysilicon layer patchesthat constitute the charging electrode 22a, the floating gate 22b/25a,the control gate 25b, and the word/erase line 43; the polysilicon isdoped preferably with the N-conductivity type dopant, phosphorous,either simultaneously with the deposition of the polysilicon layers orafter deposition by other well known doping steps of diffusion orimplantation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device of the kind having afloating gate that may be electrically charged and electricallydischarged comprising:a semiconductor silicon substrate; first andsecond co-level conductive polysilicon patches lying adjacent to andspaced from said substrate, the inner and outer surfaces of said firstand second co-level polysilcon patches being smooth and texturedrespectively; a contiguous unfurled insulative layer having been formedover said outer textured surfaces of said first and second polysiliconpatches; and third and fourth co-level conductive polysilicon patchesformed on said contiguous insulative layer, said inner and outersurfaces of said third and fourth co-level polysilicon patches beingsmooth, said third polysilicon patch overlying said first patch andextending over a part of said second polysilicon patch and physicallyand electrically contacting said second patch through a via holeprovided therefor in said contiguous unfurled insulative layer, saidhole being spaced from at least one edge of said second patch, saidthird and second patches having a region of non-contacting overlap atsaid edge, said contacting-second and third polysilicon patches togetherbeing electrically isolated and serving as said floating gate.
 2. Thememory device of claim 1 additionally comprising a spacing insulativelayer having been formed directly on said substrate to space andinsulate said substrate from said first and second polysilicon patches.3. The memory device of claim 1 wherein said contiguous insulative layeris a silicon dioxide layer having been formed by oxidizing said texturedsurfaces of said first and second polysilicon patches.
 4. The memorydevice of claim 1 that is a field effect transistor additionallycomprising a source region and a drain region each of one conductivitytype formed in said substrate having been doped with impurities of theother conductivity type.
 5. The memory device of claim 4 wherein saidsource region extends through said device in a Y direction so that whensaid device is in a column of identified memory devices of an array,each column of said memory devices has Y-extended source regions joinedtogether forming a conductive-column-source line through said array. 6.The memory device of claim 1 wherein said fourth polysilicon patchextends through said device in a Y direction so that when said device isin a column of an array of similar memory devices, each column of saidmemory devices being identical, each of said devices in said each columnhas Y-extended fourth polysilicon patches joined together forming aconductive-column-word/erase line through said array.
 7. The memorydevice of claim 1 additionally comprising a metal strip extendingthrough said device in an X-direction and overlying and being spacedfrom said first, second, third and fourth polysilicon patches exceptcontacting electrically and mechanically a small contact area of saiddrain region, so that when said device is in a row of an array ofsimilar memory devices, each row of said memory devices being identical,each of said devices in said each row has X-extended metal strips joinedtogether forming a conductive row bit line through said array.
 8. Thememory device of claim 7 additionally comprising a metal strip extendingthrough said device in an X-direction and overlying and being spacedfrom said first, second, third and fourth polysilicon patches exceptcontacting electrically and mechanically a small contact area of saidfirst polysilicon patch so that when said device is in a row of an arrayof similar memory devices, each row of said memory devices beingidentical, each of said devices in said each row has X-extended metalstrips joined together forming a conductive programing line through saidarray.
 9. The memory device of claim 1 wherein said fourth polysiliconpatch extends over a portion of said second polysilicon patch to serveas a control gate overlying said floating gate and to provide acollecting electrode for discharging electrons from said texturedsurface of said floating gate during a memory erase operation.